Changeable feature doll



Feb. 10, 1970 o. L. CROSMAN CHANGEABLE FEATURE DOLL 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 4. 1966 INVENTOR CQOJM/MI BY *9 ATTORNEY Feb. 10, 1970 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 4, 1966 F/Gif INVENTOR .Doeuwb A. CEOSMAA/ ATTORNEY Feb. 10, 1970 0. L. CROSMAN' CHANGEABLE FEATURE DQOLL 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 4. 1966 INVENTOR 20941 4. Ceas/vmu BY I ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,494,068 CHANGEABLE FEATURE DOLL Dorland L. Crosman, Glen Ridge, N.J., assignor to American Character, Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 4, 1966, Ser. No. 592,210

Int. Cl. A63h 11/00, 3/3

US. Cl. 46135 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A doll with mechanism for changing the facial expression including an actuator for flexibly distorting the mouth area comprising a bracket which can be combined with and operated by a member connected to an articulatable arm of the doll. Movement of the arm from one position to another effects facial change of expression and in addition a movement will be imparted to the dolls head in a forward and downward direction. The doll head is rotatable through 360 degrees without altering the operational functioning of the various parts.

This invention relates to a changeable feature doll and more particularly to a doll having a novel and improved mechanism for changing the facial expression of the doll.

Dolls provided with a flexibly distortable mouth area and embodying mechanism manipulatable for flexibly distorting the mouth area of the doll to impart a change of expression to the face of the doll, such as a change from a smiling to a pouting or crying appearance, are known. A common type of such a mechanism for a doll head made of a flexible plastic material comprises a mouth area distorting actuator including a pair of relatively movable levers located in the hollow of the dolls head connected to or engaging with upper and lower parts of the flexible mouth area of the doll, such levers being connected to and operated by members extending into the body or torso of the doll, the latter also made of a flexible plastic material, the members being operated by squeezing the flexible walls of the doll body.

The prime objects of my invention relates to an improved changeable feature doll of the type referred to characterized by the following structural and operational features: (1) the actuator for flexibly distorting the doll mouth area comprises a simply assembled bracket mounted in and readily assembled to and within the hollow of a doll head; (2) the said bracket being so constructed that, with simplicity and facility it may be combined with and operated by means (a member) connected to an articulatable arm of the doll whereby articulation, such as movement of the arm from one position to another, will result in effecting a facial change of expression of the dolls face as from a similing to a pouting or weeping appearance and vice versa; (3) the said bracket being so anchored and supported in the doll head that actuation thereof will also impart a movement such as a forward and downward movement to the doll head to effect an added movement of the doll mouth area and chin such as to accentuate the facial expression change; and (4) the provision of such. a described construction in which the doll head may be given a rotation on the doll body through a complete 360 revolution without altering the operational functioning of the operating and operated parts of the changeable feature mechanism.

To the accomplishment of these objects and to such other objects as may hereinafter appear, the invention relates to the changeable feature doll as more particularly defined in the appended claims taken together with the following specification and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front external view depicting the doll parts (the head, the body or torso and an articulatable arm) showing the doll parts in their normal position for imparting a smiling appearance to the doll;

FIG. 2 is a view of FIG. 1 drawn to an enlarged scale and taken in cross-section in the plane of the line 22 of FIG. 1 showing the actuator and operating mechanism for changing the facial expression of the doll, the parts being shown (in full lines) in their normal position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the actuator and operating mechanism taken in cross-section in the planes of the lines 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view of FIG. 2 taken in cross-section of the plane of the line 4-4 of FIG. 2 (with a part of the doll head being broken away);

FIG. 5 is a view of the doll parts of FIG. 1 but showing the doll parts in the position for imparting a pouting or crying appearance to the doll face;

FIG. 6 is a view of FIG. 5 drawn to an enlarged scale and showing the same in cross-section in the plane of the line 6-6 of FIG. 5, the actuator and operating mechanism being shown in a position with the facial expression change (as shown in full lines) imparted to the doll;

FIG. 7 is a detail view showing the manner of anchoring the outer or front ends of the levers of the actuator to the distortable area portions of the dolls mouth;

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the parts comprising the actuator and operating means therefor; and FIG. 9 is a view of a modification shown in cross-section in a manner similar to that of FIG. 2.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings and having reference first to FIGS. 1 and 2, the changeable feature doll of the present invention comprises a hollow head 10 made of a flexible plastic material and providing a flexibly distortable mouth area generally designated as 12, a hollow body 14 provided with a neck portion 16, the head 10 being received by and mounted on said neck portion by being engaged by a rib flange 18 formed integral on said neck portion. In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 1 (and FIGS. 2 to 8) the doll body 14 is made of a rigid or inflexible plastic material. The neck portion 16 of the body constitutes therefore a rigid neck portion part; this rigid part protrudes as shown into the doll head. The rigid neck portion part 16 is formed centrally with a preferably enlarged opening 19. The body 14 of the doll is provided with the doll arms 20 and 22, the arm 22 being articulatable (as may also be the arm 20) on the body 14.

The actuator for flexibly distorting portions of the mouth area 12 of the doll to impart a changeable expression to the face of the doll comprises an actuator generally designated as 24, located as shown wholly within the hollow of the doll head, said actuator being formed of an upper lever 26 and a lower lever 28 pivotally connected (fulcrumed) to each other at their inner ends 26' and 28' by any suitable means as by the cotter pin 30 and anchored at their outer ends 26 and 28 respectively to upper and lower portions 32 and 34 of the flexible doll mouth area 12, with the lower lever 28 being freely supported at a region intermediate its ends on the rigid neck part 16.

Significantly the said anchored outer ends 26 ad 28 of the levers and the free support of the lower lever 28 on the rigid neck part 16 of the doll constitutes the means for supporting the bracket in the doll head. It will further be noted that the lower lever 28 is freely slidably supported on the rigid neck part 16. The levers 26 and 28 may suitably be shaped in the form of side flanged plates as clearly depicted in the drawings.

The anchoring of the front or inner ends of the levers 26 and 28 to the upper and lower flexible portions 32 and 34 of the doll mouth area is preferably accomplished by providing wire elements 36 and 38 (see particularly FIG. 3) attached respectively to the outer ends 26 and 28 of the levers 26 and 28 (in the manner best depicted in FIG. 3 of the drawings) having transverse parts 36' and 38' embedded in, as being sealed respectively to the upper and lower portions 32 and 34 of the doll mouth area, such seal-anchoring of the parts, clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, being further depicted in detail in FIG. 7 of the drawings.

Means is provided for operating the actuator plates 26 and 28; and such means is made to comprise a member 40 extending through said levers intermediate their pivotal connection 30 and their mouth anchored ends 26 and 28 the said member comprising a simple rod extending through an aperture 42 in the lower lever 28 and a somewhat enlarged aperture 44 in the upper lever 26, the said rod 40 being provided at its upper end with a locking nut 46 engaging the top of the upper lever 26; the bottom of the rod 40 is provided with any suitable means 48, such as an eye portion which is engageable for operating. the rod 40.

FIG. 2 depicts the normal relaxed condition and position of the doll head and the normal position imparted thereby to the parts of the actuator bracket 24 and the operating rod 40. The head in its normally relaxed condition is shown in full lines in FIG. 2. When a pull is exerted downwardly on the rod 40, relative movement is imparted to the levers 26 and 28, which move from their position shown in FIG. 2 to the position shown in FIG. 6 and thereby a movement is imparted to the flexible mouth portions 32 and 34 from their positions shown in FIG. 2 to those shown in FIG. 6 thereby effecting a changeable expression in the face of the doll.

By reason of the slidable support of the lower lever 28 and of the bracket structure 24 as a whole on the rigid neck part 16, this described operation of the rod 40 also imparts a movement to the bracket 24 from the position shown in FIG. 2 to that shown in FIG. 6, as a result of which the head 10 is moved forwardly and downwardly on the neck seat 18 of the doll body 14, thereby imparting an added movement to the doll mouth area and chin which accentuates the facial expression change and which additionally imparts an articulated movement to the doll head. The change of expression imparted as a whole to the doll face will be seen by comparing FIG. 1 and FIG. of the drawings and the combined movements imparted to the flexible portions 32 and 34 of the doll mouth area 12 and to the doll head will be seen by comparing FIG. 2 and FIG. 6 of the drawings. By the described operation the mouth 12 moves from the open position of FIG. 1 to the closed and strongly depressed and pouting position shown in FIG. 5 and the head is moved forwardly and downwardly from the full line position shown in FIG. 2 to the dotted line position shown in this figure (as indicated by the arrow a), the additional chin movement being depicted by comparing FIGS. 2 and 6.

Upon release of the pull exerted on rod 40 the operating and operated parts will resume their normal positions (of FIG. 2) due to the elastic return or resiliency of the material of the dolls head. In order to assist in this return and to avoid the dolls head from assuming any set condition in the operation of the parts, there is provided a return spring 50 located between the levers 26 and 28 and held by the rod 40 which is threaded through the spring. Upon the return of the parts to their normal condition, the bracket structure 24 and operating rod 40 move from the position shown in FIG. 6 back to the position shown in FIG. 2 and the head returns from the full line position to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 6, the movement being indicated by the arrow a.

As heretofore set forth, the facial expression change is effected by articulating an arm of the doll. In keeping with the simplicity of the structure provided for the described actuator and operating means, this is accomplished by providing a simple and direct connection between the operating means'and an articulatable arm of the doll. To this end there is provided, as best shown in FIG' 4, a transverse shaft 52 rotatably mounted in bearings 54 and 56 provided for and preferably formed in swivel parts 58 and 60 of the doll arms 20 and 22, said shaft being provided with an angled extension 62 extending into the arm 22 and being provided intermediate the bearings with a cranked portion 64, which latter engages the eye or loop 48 of the operating rod 40. These parts are arranged so that when the doll arm 22 is in a raised position (see FIGS. 1, 2 and 4), the actuator 24 is in its normal expanded condition and the doll features are in their relaxed (smiling) condition, and when the doll arm 22 is moved to a lowered position (see FIGS. 5 and 6), the actuator 24 is operated to its contracted condition and the doll features are made to assume the described facially distorted (pouting or crying) condition. Return of the doll arm to a raised position (or moving the doll arm rearwardly) effects a return of the doll features to their relaxed (smiling) condition. The same results are achievable with the doll head in any position to which it may be moved rotatively with reference to the doll body.

In the modification depicted in FIG. 9 of the drawings, the doll body, differing from the rigid material doll body 14 of FIGS. 1 to 8, is made of a flexible plastic material. There is therefore provided a separate rigid part protruding into the doll head at the neck portion of the doll, the same comprising a tubular member 68 fixed to the doll neck. All of the other parts of the doll and the mechanism are the same as those described for FIGS. 1 to 8 and are designated by similar reference characters supplied, however, with the exponent a. The tubular member 68 is supported in the doll body 66 by having its upper end 70 engaging the neck 16a of the doll body and its lower oppositely recessed end 72 resting on spaced parts of the arm shaft 52a.

The structure and operation of the changeable feature doll of the present invention, and the improvements provided thereby over prior art structures, are believed to be fully apparent from the above detailed description.

I claim:

1. A changeable feature doll comprising a doll having a hollow head made of a flexible plastic material and providing a flexibly distortable mouth and chin area, a hollow body provided with a neck portion, the head received by and mounted on said neck portion, and a relatively rigid neck part protruding into the doll head at said neck portion; an actuator for flexibly distorting the mouth and chin area of the doll to impart a changeable expression to the face of the doll, said actuator comprising a bracket, located in the doll head, formed of upper and lower levers, pivotally connected to each other at their inner ends, anchored at their outer ends to upper and lower portions of the flexible doll mouth and chin areas, with the lower lever freely supported on the said rigid neck part, and means for operating said actuator comprising a member extending through said levers at a point between their pivotal connection and their mouth anchored ends and having an element engaging the upper lever, whereby a pull exerted on said member effects relative movement of said levers with respect to each other for producing a flexible distortion of the mouth and chin area to effect the changeable expression in the face of the doll, the said anchored outer ends of the levers, the free support of the lower lever on the rigid neck part and the means for operating said actuator constituting the sole means supporting the bracket in the doll head.

2. The changeable feature doll of claim 1, in which the levers are arranged to be normally biased to assume an expanded condition by the relaxed undistorted condition of the mouth and chin area, and wherein the pull exerted on the actuator member efiects a contraction of the levers, producing the distortion of the mouth and chin area.

3. In the changeable feature doll of claim 2, a spring located between the levers and held by the said member.

4. The changeable feature doll of claim 1, in which the doll body is provided with an articulatable arm and the means for operating said actuator includes a means connecting the actuator operating member to the articulatable arm to be operated by articulation thereof.

5. The changeable feature doll of claim 4, in which the actuator operating member comprises a rod, said rod being arranged substantially centrally axially of the doll head and body and in which the means connecting the actuator operating member and the doll arm comprises a doll arm shaft having a crank portion operating on said rod.

6. The changeable feature doll of claim 1, in which the body of the doll is made of a relatively rigid material and the relatively rigid part protruding into the doll head is integral with the doll neck portion.

7. The changeable feature doll of claim 1, in which the body of the doll is made of a flexible plastic material and the relatively rigid part protruding into the doll head comprises a separate member fixed to said neck portion.

8. A changeable feature doll comprising a doll having a hollow head made of a flexible plastic material and providing a flexibly distortable mouth and chin area, a hollow body provided with a neck portion, the head being received by and being movably mounted on said neck portion, and the said neck portion being provided with a rigid neck part protruding into the doll head; and an actuator for flexibly distorting the mouth and chin area of the doll and for moving the doll head relative to the neck portion to impart a changeable expression to the face of the doll, said actuator comprising a bracket, located in the doll head, formed of upper and lower levers pivotally connected to each other at their inner ends, anchored at their outer ends to upper and lower portions of the flexible doll mouth and chin area, with the lower lever freely slidably supported on the said rigid neck part,

and means for operating said actuator comprising a member extending from the body of the doll into said head portion and through said levers between their pivotal connection and their mouth and chin anchored ends, said member having an element engaging the upper lever, whereby a pull exerted on said member effects relative movement of said levers with respect to each other and slidable movement of the bracket relative to the rigid neck part for producing a flexible distortion of the mouth and chin area and a forward movement of the head relative to the doll body to eflect the changeable expression in the face of the doll, the said anchored outer ends of the levers, the free slidable support of the lower lever on the neck part and the means for operating said actuator constituting the sole means supporting the bracket in the doll head.

9. The changeable feature doll of claim 8, in which the actuator operating member comprises a rod, said rod being arranged substantially centrally axially of the doll head and body.

10. The changeable feature doll of claim 9, in which the head is rotatively mounted on the neck of the doll and in which the head and the bracket mounted therein are combinedly rotatable about the doll neck part and about the actuator operating rod.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,778,155 1/1957 Ostrander 46135 X 3,234,688 2/1966 Neumann et al 46135 3,298,130 1/1967 Ryan 46135 X 2,700,846 2/1955 Coe 46-171 XR 3,021,641 2/1962 Banks 46-135 3,195,268 7/1965 Neumann et a1. 46135 3,195,369 7/1965 Weih et a1 46171 XR 3,195,269 3/1966 Ostrander 46118 F. BARRY SHAY, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 46-171 

